Passengers travelling through Cardiff Central will benefit from a revamped station, thanks to over £77 million approved by the government.
The project will see the complete transformation of Wales’ busiest railway station, with a new landmark southern entrance, a larger main concourse and extended platform 0 to increase capacity at the station that welcomes over 35,000 people a day – and thousands more during major events such as the Six Nations.
This funding takes the UK government total for the project to modernise Cardiff Central station to £77.8 million, which is supported by an additional £40 million from Cardiff Capital Region City Deal and £21 million from the Welsh Government.
This project is part of a wider £445 million investment from the Department for Transport to deliver improvements to rail infrastructure across the whole of Wales, including increased train services to Cardiff, new stations in South Wales and increased services on the North Wales Mainline and Wrexham-Liverpool line.
Alongside the funding, the final business case for the transformation has been approved, giving the green light for work to get underway in spring 2026, with the majority of the work completed by 2029.
Once completed, the transformed station will also improve links between the rest of Wales and the wider UK, breaking down barriers to travel, jobs and opportunity, kickstarting economic growth.
Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, said: “The improvements to Cardiff Central will transform the experience of the millions of passengers who use the station every year, welcoming people through a spacious, modern station befitting of the city it serves.
“Not only will this improve experiences for passengers, but it will also improve capacity in the station and unlock connectivity with the rest of Wales and beyond – supporting jobs and helping to kickstart economic growth.”
Plans also include enhanced ticket gates to improve access and flow around the station and ease links with other ways to travel. Other customer benefits include improved waiting areas, enhanced retail offerings and cycle storage facilities.
Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales, said: “The UK government is investing in improving rail services in Wales with new stations, faster trains and more services connecting people with the well-paid jobs we are creating across the country and driving our economic growth.
“Our contribution to the funding of the redevelopment of Cardiff Central Station is a key part of this programme and will see Wales’s biggest station transformed to improve the experience of passengers by alleviating congestion and making the station more accessible.”
The improvements will alleviate overcrowding and congestion, enabling better accessibility for those with reduced mobility.
Alongside the £445 million investment, the government is providing a further £50 million for a new Cardiff Metro station with a direct connection to Cardiff Bay, paving the way for future extension to the north-west and east of Cardiff.
Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, said: “This is a major milestone for our ambitious plans to upgrade Cardiff Central station.
“The joint £140 million investment between Welsh Government, UK government and Cardiff Capital region will modernise and enhance the station, benefitting passengers and accommodating our ambitions for long-term growth.
“This demonstrates how 2 governments working in partnership can address historic underfunding of Welsh rail and I look forward to more major transport developments progressing across Wales.”
Alexia Course, Chief Commercial Officer at Transport for Wales, said: “The approval of the full business case gives us the green light to forge ahead with our plans to deliver much needed enhancements to Cardiff Central Station.
“The investment of up to £140 million means we can deliver improvements to the station to make it fit for a capital city and sustain future growth, providing a better experience for our station customers.
“Working with our design and build contractor, we can now move forward with the start of construction works next year.”
